Chapter 656 - 649: An Arranged Battle
Hearing Zhou’s words, the Primordial Ancestors grew even more silent.
True Realm Life. They knew full well the meaning behind this term.
It was a state of being that completely surpassed the King Level, another evolutionary leap in life itself.
For life forms existing in the material world, even those who had embarked on the Path of True Spirit, broken through their mortal coil, and grasped the direction of their own evolution, were, in reality, no different from frogs at the bottom of a well.
This was because they were still bound to their home planet, unable to transcend it to explore the boundless universe and the void beyond.
But True Realm Life was different.
Their fundamental biological structure had evolved to perfection, allowing them to communicate with and draw upon the Power of the True Realm. Their very level of existence underwent a transformation.
Ordinary life could only survive by relying on the energy of the material world. This energy was extremely limited and difficult to obtain. This was especially true for those at the King Level, where every single step forward represented a colossal drain on an entire planet’s resources.
The True Realm, however, was different. It held an inexhaustible supply of immense energy. A True Realm Life could directly draw power from the endless chaotic currents of the True Realm, drastically changing its own Energy Level and survivability.
In the ancient words of Donghua, they would become a Qi Immortal.
Upon reaching such a realm, one could survive freely within the True Realm. Furthermore, that immense energy could support a True Realm Life in executing extremely long-distance True Realm Jumps. They would truly be qualified to venture into the boundless universe, their personal martial power far surpassing the limits of a single planet as they delved into the depths of the starry sky and the True Realm.
This leap was almost equivalent to an evolution from a terrestrial civilization to an interstellar one.
And with such immense power, a True Realm Life completely transcended ordinary material civilizations in the universe. A single such being could easily destroy an entire planet and its civilization.
Back on the Holy Star, the enemies they had faced were precisely such True Realm Life forms.
At the zenith of the Holy Star’s civilization, a great rift had suddenly torn open high in the endless sky one day. A terrifying High level Life form descended, bringing ruin to their planet and civilization.
At that time, the Twelve Primordial Ancestors had reached the Peak King level and had partially touched upon the True Realm, but had not yet fully broken through. By sacrificing nearly eighty percent of the Holy Star’s power, they managed to enter a True Realm passage as if they were True Realm Life themselves. After surviving a near-death experience, they finally arrived on Earth.
The terror of a True Realm Life was deeply seared into their memories.
It was a profound fear.
It had to be said, they were now panicking.
This was the first time they had felt this way since arriving on Earth and facing this Low level Civilization.
Previously, no matter what they did, they always had a sense of confidence and superiority. They were High level Life forms, after all. Even when unexpected events occurred in their plans, the main situation remained under their control.
Even when Zhou Yuanjue had first burst onto the scene, breaking through the biological limitations to reach the King Level, they still held onto this belief.
’This insignificant human civilization could never escape our grasp.’
And in truth, they had succeeded. Although it came at a certain cost, they managed to exile and Seal Zhou Yuanjue in the True Realm. The situation on Earth had some unexpected developments, and they faced frantic resistance from human civilization, but they encroached upon it step by step, ultimately heralding the moment of their victory.
Unfortunately, Zhou Yuanjue’s sudden return shattered all their plans and sent the course of events spiraling completely out of their control.
Now, they had no idea what realm Zhou Yuanjue had reached, or whether he had fully become a True Realm Life.
Based on his performance—sealing three Primordial Ancestors in a single day and executing a True Realm jump of thousands of miles in an instant with no loss of strength—the possibility that he had broken through that final barrier was extremely high.
’If he really has completed the transformation...’
The mere thought of this possibility made the Primordial Ancestors feel as if they were suffocating.
"With our current power, and with these ’sacrifices’ from the Starry Sky Country and the entire Northern India Continent, can we attempt another ’True Realm voyage’?" one of the Primordial Ancestors couldn’t help but ask.
"Absolutely not! We don’t have precise ’coordinates’ to begin with. A blind voyage without a massive energy supply is far too risky. It’s nothing short of a gamble. If we don’t find a suitable planet, all that awaits us is to become lost in the True Realm and eventually be devoured by its chaotic currents! The probability of failure is likely over eighty percent!" the Lord of Hell, Sa, said grimly.
The other few couldn’t help but nod in agreement.
A True Realm voyage without precise coordinates was extremely risky even for a true True Realm Life, let alone for them in their current state with insufficient energy reserves and depleted manpower.
"Regardless of whether he has truly become a True Realm Life, escaping is no longer an option," the Master of Nightmares said slowly. "Besides, based on my speculation, he likely hasn’t completed his transformation yet. Otherwise, this recent attack probably wouldn’t have ended so easily."
"Have you forgotten his performance in Nightmare City before he was exiled? That incredible energy recovery speed? It’s highly likely his recent actions are based on that ability, giving him a huge advantage in one-on-one combat. But now, we have four complete Primordial Ancestors. In terms of absolute power, we most likely have the upper hand."
"This is our advantage. Regardless, we must make a decision as soon as possible."
"Perhaps the time has come for a final, decisive battle with humanity."
...
...
「Meanwhile, that night.」
In the human world, cities were ablaze with the lights of a million homes, filled with an air of celebration and joy.
The days when every household would lock their doors at night to avoid sudden attacks by Celestial Demons were now completely gone.
All of this was because of the recent resounding victory in the war, and even more so, because of the return of a man who had been missing for many years.
On the streets, people cheered and leaped for joy, freely releasing the pressure and fear that had been buried deep in their hearts.
Cartoon images of various powerful Martial Artists were held high by the reveling crowds, giving them a hero’s reception. The image of Zhou Yuanjue, in particular, was placed in the most prominent position of all.
At this very moment, Zhou Yuanjue was standing atop the tallest building in Shangjing Prefecture, quietly observing the city that had once again recovered its vitality and hope. He couldn’t be sure how long this scene would last.
’I have to buy time for myself, and for humanity, as quickly as possible.’
’Only by resolving the hidden dangers on Earth soon can I explore the True Realm and its many mysteries without reservation. And only then will I have a way to face the coming enemies and prevent the destruction of our civilization.’
He raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the sky to see the swirling gray fog at the world’s infinite heights.
His will tore through the void, sending a message toward that gray fog:
"In seven days, at the center of the Pacific Ocean. I will be waiting for you alone. If you do not come, then I will set foot on the soil of the Starry Sky Country."
The gray fog received the message, but for a long time, there was no reply.
About half an hour passed before there was finally a stir within the fog. The Master of Nightmares’s reply was just a single word:
"Fine."